


It Wasn't Your Fault

by tabbytabbytabby



Series: Thiam Prompts [4]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Alpha Liam Dunbar, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Kiss, Fluff and Angst, Getting Together, Good Theo Raeken, Hurt Liam, M/M, Protective Theo Raeken
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-16
Updated: 2017-11-16
Packaged: 2019-02-03 04:28:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12741015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tabbytabbytabby/pseuds/tabbytabbytabby
Summary: When Liam gets hurt during a fight, Theo blames himself and tries to leave. Liam is quick to remind him that what happened wasn't his fault.





	It Wasn't Your Fault

**Author's Note:**

> For the prompts: "It wasn't your fault." and “I just came to say goodbye.”
> 
> Thanks to my friend and beta [Kacie](http://archiveofourown.org/users/beautyinstarlight) for reading this over for me. Your the best.

Theo remembers a time when he didn’t care at all. People could get hurt and it wouldn’t bother him. Not to mention the times it was  _him_  that had caused the suffering. It still wouldn’t matter to him. He’d be able to go on with his life just fine. Some people might think it’s better that he does care now. That it means he’s a better person. Usually he would agree, but not right now. Because one thing no one warned him about was the guilt that came when something went wrong and someone got hurt because of him. He’s feeling it now and he  _hates_  it.

He’d been with Liam, Mason, and Corey walking through the preserve just checking things out. Things had been quiet but that didn’t mean that couldn’t change. Still, they’d all let their guard down. Letting themselves laugh and joke as they’d walked through the trees. 

They’d been unaware of the eyes on them, of the attention they’d drawn. They should have been able to sense the presence of other wolves, at least Theo and Liam should have. But they’d been preoccupied.  _He’d_  been preoccupied.

It tended to happen more often lately. Liam would say or do something and that would draw Theo’s focus away from everything else. In the past he’d always be aware of what was happening around him no matter how calm things may seem. But he’d found peace and a strange sense of calm with Liam and the others. Something he hadn’t experienced before but found he didn’t quite mind. It was nice feeling like he had some place he belonged. But it also made him vulnerable.

He’d been watching the way Liam laughed, the moonlight dancing across his face, when it happened. They all barely had time to react before what they thought was two betas came charging towards them, one pinning Theo to the ground and the other heading towards Liam. They managed to hold them off, Theo easily taking down the one he was facing. 

Theo checks on Mason and Corey, eyes widening when he notices the wolf sneaking up behind the pair. He shouts, drawing their attention and Corey quickly grabs Mason’s hand making them both disappear.

Theo handles the other wolf, sure Liam has everything under control when he hears a pained growl that sounds far too familiar. He turns, eyes blazing towards the noise. While Theo had his back turned another were had come into the clearing, leaving Liam to fight off two of the wolves on his own. Normally he would be fine, which means one of them must have surprised him. One of them has Liam in the air by his throat while the other, the Alpha, has his claws shoved into Liam’s stomach.

Theo charges towards the wolves, first taking out the one holding Liam up. He’s seeing red at this point, his instinct telling him to hurt those that hurt Liam. The beta never stood a chance. Theo may have been trying to be on his best behavior but all that goes out the window when it comes to protecting his pack, protecting Liam.

He hears a snarl from the Alpha, barely having a chance to turn around before the man is charging at him, claws poised to kill. He never makes it to Theo. When the alpha’s back is turned Liam takes his chance, driving his claws right into the wolf’s chest.

When the wolf falls Liam does too, landing heavily on his knees. Mason and Corey appear next to him, the former checking over his injuries. Theo takes a step back. This was his fault. He’d turned his back and left Liam to fight off the beta by himself. Liam had gotten hurt because of that.

Theo doesn’t think, he turns around and takes off, ignoring Liam’s calls after him. He can’t face him or Mason or Corey right now. If only he had been more alert and aware of surroundings Liam would never have been hurt. 

Logically he knows that’s not all on him, but Theo should have known better. He spent so much of his life in hiding, living in the shadows, being aware of what was happening around him.  _He_  should have heard the other wolves coming towards them. But he didn’t, and now someone he cares about is suffering because of that.

Theo takes his truck back to Liam’s, knowing that Mason and Corey can give him a ride home when the time comes. He rushes inside the house, pulling out clothes and shoving them into his bag. He thinks about just leaving, getting out of here before he has to face Liam. But he knows that would be cowardly. Liam deserves better than that, he at least deserves a goodbye.

So Theo sits heavily on the bed, taking in the small aspects of the room he’s spent so much time in over the past few months. Things he might never see again. Like the music posters Liam has hanging on his wall, trophies from different sporting events, pictures of him and Mason, as well as ones with his family. It makes his chest ache and Theo finds himself having to look away.

 

Liam enters the room a few minutes later, taking in the state of Theo. He’s still sitting on the edge of Liam’s bed, shoulders hunched and head down. Liam frowns walking over to the bed and sitting down beside him. He hesitates a moment before placing a hand on Theo’s shoulder. Theo flinches at the contact but doesn’t move away.

“Are you okay?” Liam asks, his eyes searching Theo’s face worriedly.

Theo tenses, his shoulders hunching even further, “What do you think?”

Liam sighs, “It wasn’t your fault.”

“We both know that’s bullshit. I should have had your back.”

“Theo…”

“You know what? It doesn’t matter,” Theo says, finally meeting Liam’s eyes, “I just came to say goodbye.”

“Goodbye?” Liam’s brow furrows in confusion, “What the hell are you talking about?”

“I’m leaving. I thought I could do this, stay and be better. But it’s clear I’m not good to anyone. So I’m leaving before anyone else gets hurt.”

Liam growls, pushing Theo back onto the bed and then crawling on top of him. His eyes flash yellow and his fangs drop, “You are not going anywhere. If you really think that I’m going to let you go without a fight you’re crazy.”

“Why does it matter to you what I do?” Theo asks, glaring up at him.

“Because I care about you, you asshole,” Liam says, then flashes his newly red eyes at Theo, “and I’m your Alpha now. You’re in my pack, Theo. If you want to leave you’re going to have to fight me. Which I know you won’t do because we’ve long since gotten past hurting each other.”

Theo’s eyes widen, breath catching in his throat at the sight of Liam’s eyes. He knows he shouldn’t be surprised. Liam had killed the alpha, of course he would be an alpha now. But it’s not something he’d taken to the time to think about, too wrapped up in his own misery. Theo stares, bringing his hand up to Liam’s cheek, his voice barely above a whisper when he speaks, “You’re an Alpha.”

“I’m  _your_  Alpha,” Liam grins, putting his hand over Theo’s where it still rests on his cheek. He holds Theo’s gaze, eyes thoughtful but full of intent, “I’m  _yours_  Theo.”

“You’re…”

“ _Yours,_ ” Liam leans down, placing a feather light kiss to Theo’s lips, “and you’re mine, aren’t you?”

“I am,” Theo doesn’t see the point in denying it. He’s been Liam’s for a while. He’s accepted it. But… “that doesn’t change the fact that you got hurt because I wasn’t paying attention.”

“I want you to listen to me and listen good Theo Raeken. Was I hurt? Yes. But it was  _not_  your fault. You were looking out for Mason and Corey. You warned them about the wolf coming after them. You were protecting our friends, our pack. I got hurt because that Alpha came out of nowhere. I wasn’t aware enough of my surroundings. That’s not on you. I know you want to protect me, and I want to protect you. But that also means protect those close to me, alright? You did good tonight. What happened wasn’t your fault. And I’m fine, okay? It’s already healed.”

Liam takes Theo’s free hand and places it on his stomach where the wound used to be. Theo closes his eyes, feeling the now healed skin under his fingertips, proof that Liam’s alright, he’s alive. “I won’t stop looking out for you.”

“And I won’t stop looking out for you,” Liam tells him, “but you’re staying. We can’t exactly look out for each other when you’re not here. So will you stay? Please?”

Theo takes deep breath, leaning his forehead against Liam’s, letting his presence ground him. He doesn’t know how he ever thought he could leave this, “I’ll stay.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Kudos/Comments make my day <3  
> [Come visit me on tumblr](http://tabbytabbytabby.tumblr.com/). I'm taking prompts for Thiam and Sterek from [this list](http://tabbytabbytabby.tumblr.com/post/167508947608/prompt-list) or any other prompts


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